Memory devices are widely used in various electronics and computing devices. For example, computing devices and consumer-electronics store data, e.g., texts, e-mails, images, music, and videos, in one or more memory devices. The need for additional memory capacity is increasing with the expanded capabilities of today's consumer electronics and portable devices. To accommodate the need, memory devices need to provide reliability, low-power-consumption, light weight portability, small size, or a combination of these characteristics.
Non-volatile memories, such as flash memories, also known as flash electrically-erasable-programmable read-only-memories (flash EEPROMs), are among the most popular memory devices. These memory devices offer reprogramablility without requiring continuous power consumption to maintain the stored data. In the past decade, the need for non-volatile memories, including low-power or high-density memory devices, in consumer electronics and portable devices has increased dramatically. Consequently, memory design and manufacturing need to improve to satisfy such demands.